AN: I came up with this idea sometime ago, let me know if it's working or not.

Fam smiled as she walked from Edena. It had been awhile since she had been outside the town of the Wiggans and seen Ihrie. She remembered when they parted. It was very sad, but she promised she would learn lots of spells while she was gone and she wouldn't have left if she did not have to. If she did not know better, she would have sworn Ihrie cried as they parted, but that could not be. She was just being childish. She had matured a lot since those times, physically and emotionally. Now that she was nineteen perhaps Ihrie would respect her more.

It would be great to see Ihrie again. She hoped she was okay without her. She also wondered about the others. It had been three years since they fought Rugudoroll and she had seen Lyle. She was excited when she got an invitation to the first harvest festival at Raybard. Lyle had finally gotten Raybard back on its feet and now he wanted to share the joy with his friends. It was the perfect opportunity for a reunion. So excited with the thought of seeing everyone again, Fam began to skip down the road and hum. As she skipped down the road, she saw a small cart with a horse eating grass by the side of the road.

Hearing her skipping along, the owner came out. "Hello, Miss, is there anything that I could interest you in, imported silk from the East, perfumes?" the merchant asked. "I have a special oil that will make any man fall in love with you."

"Galoff?" Fam asked curiously.

Galoff looked at her strangely for a minute. "Fam?"

Fam smiled. "Yep it's me."

"My have you grown up," he complimented as his eyes slid over her. "I didn't recognize you without Ihrie. Where is she or did you have a fight again?"

Fam looked down. "I had to go back home for awhile and I haven't seen Ihrie in years. I hope she was okay without me, having no magic and all. I wonder if she's mad at me because she never wrote. Oh, I do hope she comes to the harvest festival."

"I'm sure she will," Galoff said as he hitched the horse to the back of the cart and climbed in. Gil jumped in beside him and grinned evilly at Fam. "Would you like a ride?"

Fam looked at Gil and sighed at the dog. "No thanks, I'll walk. The spirits will keep me company."

Galoff looked down then shook his head as he clicked his tongue urging the horse to go forward. "See ya' there."

"Okay," Fam called as she continued on her way towards the country of Raybard.

============

"I don't see why you're so mad Rasha," Miguel commented as they walked down the path to Raybard.

Rasha glared at him. "The ruin was full of mice!! And you still don't see why I'm upset!"

"It was ten mice and we got a load of treasure," Miguel pointed out holding the bag he was carrying open. "Perhaps after you see Lyle you'll be in a better mood."

Rasha stopped in her tracks and spun around. "are you jealous of what Lyle and I have?"

"What you and Lyle have?" Miguel asked incredulously. "I, Miguel, who have bested a thousand men…"

"You're so full of it you know that?" Rasha interrupted as she started to walk away.

"So are you," he added, "as I remembered it when we left. He was hugging Fam and not you."

Rasha grit her teeth in anger at the fact that Miguel brought up. "Don't remind me!" she yelled as she threw a rock at Miguel.

Miguel dodged the rock easily then made a face at Rasha only to get hit in the face for his impudence, knocking him to the ground. "Ha!" Rasha laughed as she stood over him and gloated.

Miguel sat up and rubbed his jaw. "Speak of the devil," he smiled.

"Huh?" she wondered as she turned around and saw Fam approaching them. Rasha growled. "Well if it isn't fang girl herself and all grown up."

"Rasha! Miguel!" Fam called as she saw her former companions. "I'm glad to see you, now we can travel together."

"Whatever," Rasha remarked as she started down the road again.

"What's with her?" Fam whispered to Miguel.

"Insanity," Miguel remarked before dodging another rock.

Fam giggled. "Just like old times almost," she commented to herself.

A couple of days later they arrived at Castle Reion. It had changed a great deal since the last time they were there. It was hard to believe that the land the surrounded the castle was the same barren land of ash they battled against Rugudoroll on. The castle was magnificent with its towers and ivory walls. Beautiful plants snaked their way up the high walls, giving it a very prosperous and natural look. It was the perfect fairy tale castle with a handsome king included.

"How beautiful," Fam sighed as they entered the castle courtyard.

"Fam, Rasha, Miguel, welcome," Lyle greeted as he came down the steps. "How have you been?"

"Wonderful," Rasha answered as she grabbed Lyle's arm and held it. "I love what you've done with the place. You have brought prosperity back to the land with your leadership, the mark of a true king."

"Thank you, Rasha," Lyle replied gratefully.

"You have to show me everything," Fam said as she latched on to Lyle's other arm.

"He has to show me!" Rasha corrected.

"I'll give you a tour after we get everybody settled," Lyle compromised making the women be quiet. The two blondes stared off at each other but where satisfied that the other would not get any special treatment. Lyle looked towards Miguel and sighed when he noticed his last guest had not arrived yet. Everyone had managed to make it there safely through out the day except for… "Fam, where's Ihrie?"

Fam looked downward for a moment. "I haven't seen Ihrie in years. I was called home and we parted ways."

Lyle looked at her sympathetically. He imagined it was hard for the two best friends to part and for several years at that. Now, he was not sure that the warrioress would make it the festival. He assumed that they were together and only dispatched a few messengers to seek out his friends. "I wish I had known."

"Oh, she'll be along soon," Rasha said as she pulled Lyle along. "You know how she is, she's probably looking for treasure or got distracted along the way."

"I'm so glad that you're concerned about me," Ihrie observed as she and her companion walked into the courtyard.

"Ihrie!" Fam yelled in happiness as she ran to her best friend and dived on her. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Fam," Ihrie replied as they hugged. "I'm glad to see everybody. Oh this Aaron."

Everyone greeted one another excitedly. Lyle smiled to Ihrie as he greeted her. "How did you know?"

"Pure accident actually," she answered with a grin. "Aaron and I were in this interesting border town when a trader from Raybard came through talking about having to get home to the first harvest festival since their new king took the throne. So I decided to drop in."

"Well I'm glad you did," he replied. He turned to the others and smiled at the fact that they were all together and there was no evil to fight. "If you follow me I will show you around the castle and then you can get settled for tonight."

============

"Come in," Ihrie called.

Fam walked in wearing her sprite costume for the masquerade. "Ihrie, aren't you coming tonight?"

"In a little while. I just want to rest a little longer. It was a long trip."

"Okay, Ihrie, see you downstairs," Fam said in her singsong voice as she closed the door.

As soon as the door closed, Ihrie jumped up and put on her costume. She purposely kept it a secret from everybody what she chose. She would show them she had a feminine side too, she was not a tomboy. So what if she could handle a sword pretty well and could hold her own in a good fight. Maybe she had a little temper…but she was tired of the jokes. Tonight there would be no dispute about whether she was a boy or not.